The Burrowed was a likeable read but certainly not the book for me. I did enjoy many aspects of this book, from the world-building to the way the tension and conflict between the underground and above-ground groups was written.

However, for me, the plot and the pacing were off, Maybe this just isn't the book for me but i can certainly see an audience that will love this book,

Thank you so much to Netgalley and to Angry Robot for allowing me to have this E-ARC

2.5 stars

I’m sad to say this book just didn’t really work for me. I did not vibe with the FMC Zuzan at all. The idea that she is new to this facility, still learning, and yet decides everything is being done wrong & she’s the natural choice to take control just rubbed me the wrong way.

Thank you to NetGalley & Angry Robot for this advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

The aftermath of a genetic plague is the setting for Burrowed by Mary Baader Kaley. As a result of the plague humanity has been split into two separate groups, the sickly yet super-intelligent Subterraneans who can only survive under the earth and healthy but weak-minded Omniterraneans who live above the earth. The Subters run the intellectual areas of human society, such as science and medical while the Omnits are the builders and heavy lifters.

Only Omnits are fertile, which means that Subter children are taken from their Omnit parents when born and are then raised in group nurseries underground. Burrowed follows the story of one such child, Zuzan, from the nursery to a burrow where she continues her studies as a teenager. In addition to the compromised immune system that all Subters have, Zuzan has a visual impairment that requires her to wear specialised googles that offer her some degree of vision, although it remains very limited and does not correct her colour blindness.

Zuzan eventually finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy that is linked to the growing war between Omnits and Subters. She has the skills to help cure a new plague that is killing Omnit babies, and the Subters need to find it fast. Tensions are rising between the two groups as Omnits believe that Subters are stealing their Omnit babies away from them rather than trying to help cure them. It’s a race against the clock and there is much more going on than Zuzan realises.

On the surface, Burrowed seems like a book with positive chronic illness representation. The problem is that the more I got into the book the more I realised that this representation was just on the surface. For instance, Baader Kaley emphasises the weakened immune system that Subters have throughout the book yet the only example given of it in practise is that they are very susceptible to allergies. As someone who has a compromised immune system and a condition where my immune system constantly attacks itself, I’m very aware of the ways in which this can manifest. Likewise, the range of chronic health conditions that the Subters had were very limited and if I’m honest, either obvious or stereotypical. Again, mostly allergies, and susceptibility to infections. The only specifically named condition, other than Zuzan’s visual impairment, was brittle bones which was named at the start of the novel. After that none are mentioned again as though this part of the plot had been established for the reader.

Instead, the focus moves onto what I believe is the main point of this book; finding a cure. In an interview Baader Kaley mentions that her personal experience with her daughter becoming ill with meningitis played a large part in creating “virus-as-a-villain”. That is fair enough if this was just a book about viruses and pandemics, it’s not. Baader Kaley has chosen to write a book where half the world’s population are physically disabled. It’s a little unclear whether the Omnits are also disabled. While the synopsis suggests mentions “condition of the mind”, in the book they are only referred to as being weak-minded. It is not specifically mentioned whether they have intellectual or learning disabilities, something that I feel was overlooked. The active choice to have disabled characters and such a forceful ongoing narrative for a cure sends the wrong message. It is saying that disability is a problem that needs to be fixed, and that is what it felt like a lot of the time reading this book.

The sub-plot to cure the Omnit babies is one thing, but it is linked to a larger plot to then cure the damage done to humanity by the original plague. Helping Subters is always discussed as a cure rather than ways to relieve symptoms or pain. Of course Subters don’t want to live under the earth, have weakened immune systems or be in pain, but so much emphasis was placed on how terrible their lives were. It was always one bad thing after the other. The very few moments of joy that Zuzan had with her childhood friend always evolved into some catastrophe where the reader is reminded how bad the situation for Subters is. This is unfortunately a common viewpoint from non-disabled writers, where they see every part of disabled lives as being inherently bad and the Subters are the ultimate metaphor of that view.

In the same interview, Baader Kaley is adamant that Burrowed is not a product of the COVID-19 pandemic although interestingly, she cites other outbreaks including HIV/AIDS which is a little concerning. While the author may see a separation between her book and the most recent pandemic, publishing a young adult book about curing characters with chronic illnesses during the pandemic is worrying. Many people, including children and teenagers, are now living with chronic health conditions as a result of COVID-19. Their lives are irreversibly changed and here is a book that talks about people who have developed chronic illnesses from a virus as something wrong, something that needs to be cured.

In case you’re thinking I’m just being pedantic, I’m not. I developed a chronic illness, ME/CFS, due to a virus (flu); I saw myself in these characters and the message I got throughout Burrowed was that I just needed to wait for someone to magically cure me. That isn’t going to happen and that’s a worrying message for a young adult book to be giving out to disabled and non-disabled readers.

I want to emphasise that the issue here is not writing a book about pandemics, viruses or finding a cure for a virus. It’s mixing that with chronic illnesses and disability representation. Essentially the good representation is overwritten by the cure plot line, and it becomes a plot device. And yes, despite the cure trope there is some good representation in Burrowed. There is very good representation of light sensitivity especially with regard to it causing migraines. Zuzan’s perspective throughout the book frequently covers some important topics, although please note that there are some very dark subplots, so please check the content warnings before reading. I’m also not sure if this is a standalone or part of a series as it ended very abruptly and there is no information anywhere with regard to a follow-up book. There were still some unanswered questions and Zuzan’s story does not feel completed to me.

Generations past a genetic plague swept through humanity, killing many and leaving those who remained split between strong, healthy Omniterraneans and sickly Subterraneans who must dwell in underground tunnels for the sake of their health. In this split world brilliant but sickly Zuzan Cayan’s short life expectancy leaves her with no chance at her dream job, raising the next generation of Subter children. Despite this, she is pushed to join one of the preeminent research Burrows to study the genetic codes of Omnits and Subters. To find a way to bring the shattered remains of humanity back together. At least, that was supposed to be her job until a plague sweeps through the Omnits, threatening humanity as a whole if Zuzan cannot find a cure.

Reviewing Mary Baader Kaley’s Burrowed almost feels unfair. I somehow completely missed that it was a Jane Eyre reimagining and have to admit that I probably would not have picked it up had I noticed. Not that I have anything against Jane Eyre, I simply have not read it and find that other genre retellings tend to feel a bit off, like the author had something interesting they wanted to do but felt constrained by the source material. There is also that going from recombining two vastly different offshoots of the same species to curing a plague that only affects one offshoot is a lot to cover in one book. But I was curious and the idea of a sci-fi post-apocalyptic medical drama has serious promise.

This one moves slowly. There is extended time given to our protagonist's childhood from leaving her inexplicably terrible nurse maid to her arrival at Cayan Burrow, home to what are apparently simultaneously the sickest Subter children as well as the brightest and most promising, to the days just before her graduation to adulthood. A lot of it feels unnecessary, but it is also some of the more enjoyable writing in the book. Past it we get the introductions of Zuzan's soon to be boss slash love interest and the almost comically awful antagonist with the promised plot following shortly after, somewhere around the halfway mark of the book.

The romance eats way more page space than it feels like it deserves. Maven Ringol is Zuzan's boss and is quite happy to pull the boss card on her to make her do things his way, usually her actual job. Seems to be deeply attracted to her and absolutely repelled by her by turns because she refuses to just do her job without all the information needed and without questioning him. And just generally seems to bounce between being a decent guy and a complete jerk. Zuzan also cannot seem to decide if she hates him with every fiber of her being or desperately wants him to love her. None of it works for me as a reader which, unfortunately, means that a lot of the second half of the book feels like a drag. Especially when a lot of the science feels like it was skimmed over in favor of rushing to Zuzan butting into someone else's project and showing that she is so much better than everyone else at functionally everything.

Like, Zuzan is the rare character that I have little issue with calling too perfect. She has perfect memory, not eddic memory, specifically perfect memory as though she has the actual information right in front of her. She is not allowed to be wrong in significant ways or allowed to fail beyond what it takes to rachet up the drama of a single scene. She is not even allowed to stay ugly by Subter standards and keep her protective goggles that allow her to see. And I hate that so much. Like, the goggles are introduced as something she desperately needs in order to see and interact with the world around her. She has to take tests on paper because the projector tablets everyone else uses do not work with her goggles. This is a big deal and a major part of how Zuzan is more fragile than other Subters. But then she gets to Ringol's Burrow and they just get replaced no problem.

Cayan Burrow with its highly respected, often imitated medera just did not have the funding to get her anything other than the goggles. It just feels like a weird conflux of Kaley needing Zuzan to be pretty for the romance to happen and the world building not quite being complete. Here is an item that can so totally change Zuzan's life and, given the existence of the replacement contact lenses, presumably the lives of many other Subters. So, even if not the super expensive version given to Zuzan, why is there not something similar that would be better than her goggles? The Subters have short life spans and need as many people as possible doing as much as they can for society as a whole and this would improve both people’s lives and their chances of helping Subter society. It is kind of similar to my wondering why, despite relying heavily on them for building and maintaining the caves, the Subters and Omnits do not seem to communicate at all. Talking to them could have solved half of the plot to Burrowed or at least given it a bit more depth than just telling the reader that Omnits are dumb and aggressive.

The whole book is kind of a mess like that. Clearly Kaley is a pretty decent writer, but I want to see what she does when not constrained by trying to adapt someone else's work. I want to see what happens when she digs into her world building a little more and pokes at the mechanics of her world to see what works and why. So, while Burrowed was really not my cup of tea and gets a two out of five from me, I really do want to pick up something she writes again, maybe two or three books from now.

My thanks to Angry Robot for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Burrowed’ by Mary Baader Kaley.

I was intrigued by the premise of this post-apocalyptic science fiction novel. It is set in a distant future where a genetic plague has separated humanity into two subspecies: the super-intelligent yet sickly Subterraneans, who dwell underground to protect their health and the stronger, surface-dwelling Omniterraneans, who have limited to normal intellect. The kicker is that only the Omnits can reproduce and those infants that exhibit Subter qualities are removed to underground burrows to be raised.

Its main character and the novel’s narrator is Zuzan Cayan, a brilliant Subter girl. She is about to leave the safety of her home burrow, though given her low life expectancy, her options for employment are slim. Then she is offered the chance to study the broken genetic code. This research may lead to a cure that will reunite humanity once again.

However, when a new virus emerges that is proving fatal to the Omnits, it may signal the extinction of all humanity.

I enjoy medical-themed science fiction and ‘Burrowed’ certainly delivered and was intelligent and thought provoking along with strong world building and characterisation. Zuzan Cayan’s voice was compelling.

While I could see no notice of a sequel, the ending does suggest that there may be more of Zuzan’s story to come. Definitely an assured debut novel and whether Mary Baader Kaley returns to explore this future or creates another, I shall be interested in reading her work.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

4.5 stars

It has been a while since I read a book in under 24h. It was such a pleasant read! I expected an interesting book, hence I applied for arc, but I didn't expect it to captivate me so much. I would have read it in one sitting if I didn't need to sleep.

Interesting dystopian world, through the book you nicely paced learn more about it. The book is easy to read and well paced, not too fast nor slow. It's action based more then descriptive. Which I really like.

<spoiler>It ends very in middle of everything, which I dislike. Until 2/3 of the book, I even expected it to be a standalone story, but then it became obvious plot will not finish and I then hoped for not a cliffhanger. While there is no cliffhanger, the book just ends in almost middle of the story. That could have been improved. </spoiler>

I really look forward to read more of it and this book really deserves more attention then it got. I will try to spread it around book communities I am in, more people gotta read it.

💉💉💉💉💉

📚 Burrowed by Mary Baader Kaley

‘There are many things wrong with me. Where shall I start? I am forever unloved’.

‘sometimes hope is scarier than my imaginary ghosts’

‘The thought of her wanting to be so compassionate gives me hope’.

‘You have to believe hard, that’s all. Hard as diamonds’


💉 A heartfelt and gut wrenching dystopian sci-fi novel that still managed to offer glimpses of light and a ‘hard-as-diamonds kind of hope’ in the dark underground tunnels of the burrows.

💉 We follow Z, a seven year old sent to a burrow with other children who have unusual diseases and ailments. Mankind has been split to healthy (Omniterraneans) and unhealthy (Subterraneans) people. The healthy ones live above ground and provide for the ones living in the burrows. They have no contact as the Omnits may pass on diseases to the Subters who cannot handle it. So the Subters are children born by the Omnits but were separated early in life to the burrows. They have women called nursery maids, or na’rms for short, to take care of them that are supposed to treat them like family.

💉 But for some reason, our goggle-wearing light-blind protagonist has not had a good experience with hers who did not even accept the goodbye bead she made for her. Hopefully the one in charge of the kids who were dispatched to the burrows, the Madera, will be kinder to them all.

💉 We are later transported to 12 years after Z’ arrival at the Cayan burrow. And it is time to leave and be assigned to jobs. But what could a girl with impaired eyes and low life expectancy could do? Can she see herself without Maddy and Jal, the inseparable trio of friends?

💉 There are secrets to be revealed, twists to be unraveled, you will gasp, you will cry, you will feel for our characters and you will wish to be there for them in all the hard moments they are facing whilst discovering the truth of the world they live in.

💉 I whole heartedly recommend this stunning and unputdownable (if it is not a word, it should be) book published by Angry Robot Books. I am always taken aback by the quality of stories and the authors’ impeccable writing. These are stories that will stick with you, no matter what.

💉 Thank you to Netgalley, Angry Robot Books as well as Caroline and Amy with I have been in contact with for this book tour.

#burrowed #marybaaderkaley #angryrobotbooks #netgalley #dystopia #scifi #2023bookrelease #fivestarreview

In the apocalyptic future society has split become two. Omnits the strong immune live at surface and Subters, the weaker who stay underground for their safety. Burrowed was following Zuzan's epic survival story, a most vulnerable Subters when deadly plaque lurking her world.

Fantasy is my favorite genre but futuristic science fiction is a hit or miss. Burrowed isn't easy read for me but the story it self so rich, satisfiying and worth all the efforts. Zuzan is unique MC and consider the weakest even from her own Subters. We learn about this fascinating world, political and system through her eyes. I love saw her character developing, growing stronger dan confidence from each difficulties and problems she must take. Sadly I don't feel any connection with other characters.

The writing is good and enjoyable. Slower pace but I think suited this type of story well enough so reader have time to absorb the world and open each layers of informations. The plot is creative and have enough good components to make me engaging until the last page. Overall this is a fascinating read, expecially when the author is totally new name for me.

Thank you Angry Robots for provided me with this copy. I truly enjoyed this one and my thoughts are my own.

3.5 out of 5 stars (3.5 / 5)
In a future world, a plague has separated people into highly intelligent but physically weak, or physically healthy but weak-minded. Because of this, the intelligent are placed underground as to not infect the healthy.

The premise alone is fascinating, I love a good dystopia! We follow Zuzan from childhood, witnessing her trials, achievements and physical and emotional abuse. The majority of the book is during her 19th year where she is hired for her intelligence to find a cure for a new plague. Her ultimate goal is to bring people back together and to rid the world of this sickness. She is brilliantly smart but caring too, which makes her the best candidate.

The ins and out of the story really came together well. The experiments and information kept from her made it so interesting. The layers that unfolded throughout her discoveries brought an extra level of intensity.

My personal preference is for fast-paced novels. While this was interesting, it was a bit more of a slow read. The information came gradually and I found myself needing a bit more to keep my attention. I felt I knew maybe 2 characters but there were so many others that I had a hard time keeping them straight. I would have loved more introduction into them to keep them separate in my head. I feel I missed a few crucial elements by not being able to connect them with previous experiences. I also felt the “love” element came without much to back it up. I was still trying to determine if their interest was mutual or not when all of a sudden the “L” word is being thrown around. He also felt extremely older, which I don’t believe he was. Just one more thing I didn’t catch!

Overall it was a fun read. The world was interesting with exciting medical technology and a great ending. I also believe it will great for adult and teen readers alike, not many books can do that!

The world is both familiar, and radically different in Mary Baader Kaley's "Burrowed". The population is split between the Omniterraneans (Omnits) and the Subterraneans (Subters). The Omnitss resemble humans of today, but the Subters are generally albino and of small stature. The Subters, who are the children of Omnits, have compromised immunity, and are raised underground in large creches, then work in various fields supporting all humans' lives, genetic engineering being one.

Main character Zuzan Cayan is a Subter, but her eyesight is even more sensitive than her fellow Subters, and has little hope of getting to work as a medera, someone who cares for and raises young Subters, because of her low life expectancy. After a series of tragedies, she gets the chance to work in a respected ganetic engineering facility, and study the problems afflicting humanity's genetics. She also quickly discovers that a new plague has been unleashed on Omnits, and she and various scientists in the facility are under the gun to find the cause and a treatment against the plague.

So, the plot really pulled me in, and I finished the book quickly. I was, on the other hand, unable to connect with any of the characters, despite the wonderful message throughout the book that kindness and empathy are critical.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Angry Robot for this ARC in exchange for my review.

When the apocalypse happens, science fiction has taught us that some of us will run below and others will be left on the surface. Pick a side. Down below could be a Fallout or Wool situation, better than being on the surface, dead or a mutant. Up above could be The Time Machine or Mary Baader Kaley’s Burrowed. H.G Well’s suggested a future where up above is best, but like Burrowed it is worth looking twice. The Morlocks were breeding the Eloi for food, and what of the Subterraneans and the Omniterraneans? Zuzan may have been forced below, but when a deadly disease is killing the above, is she in the best place to survive?

Society has split. The strong live on the surface, whilst the weak are forced below for their own safety. Weak immune systems mean that contained underground bases are the best chance for the Subters to survive. Zuzan is considered one of the most vulnerable and with her burrow mates they are not expected to live a long life. However, the likes of Zuzan may have weak bodies, but they have strong minds and a sense of survival. When a deadly plague threatens to annihilate the Omniters, Zuzan and her kind may be their only chance of survival.

Science Fiction and Fantasy can feel like distinctive styles of novel, but sometimes a Sci Fi book will take on the epic journey qualities of a Fantasy title. Burrowed starts like a classic coming of age Fantasy, but in a futuristic livery. We have the put upon Zuzan and she must find her place in the world. Even within the world of the Subters she is considered strange, her lack of hair and poor eyesight, but they do not know of her powerful memory or empathy. With her unique skills Zuzan sets out on a journey.

In places Burrowed is not an easy read. Zuzan is persecuted and does not find her place until later in the book. One burrow is particularly cruel, her short stay there will leave her physically and phycological scarred. The book settles in one location in the second half, but the journey there is not forgotten. Zuzan finds herself in a place where she can help the babies of the Omniters, who have been dying at only a few months old. The politics must be overcome as well as the disease. Zuzan will learn more about her colleagues and her enemies.

The story is told exclusively from Zuzan’s viewpoint, but Baader Kaley builds the world with what Zuzan learns. As the story evolves Zuzan becomes less naïve as we all learn about what is going on in the wider world. The relationship between the Subters and Omniters is key to the story, Zuzan must decide if she wants to fight those that have oppressed her or save innocent lives.

With the coming of age feel to the story, in places Burrowed felt like a younger fantasy title, but there is a darkness that makes it an adult book. The ordeals that Zuzan go through are not light and the medical experiments of the second half are not always easy to stomach. A room full of ill babies is upsetting to read about. The journey style of the first half with the static second half, marry a little oddly, like two novels into one, but it does give a chance for some interesting world building as we learn more about the wider burrows and the above. An enjoyable read for lovers of apocalyptic fiction and those that like their characters to solve complex problems.

A dystopian future of Earth with the Human race split into Omniterraneans and subterraneans, Burrowed follows the path of Zuzan, a subterranean with light blindness and a brilliant mind. Taken below ground as a baby, unloved by her nurse maid and with a ridiculously low life expectancy, Zuzan has few options when ot comes to the time to leave her burrow and find work. But current events lead to previous doors closing and unexpected doors opening.

This is Sci-fi with a capital SCIENCE! And it is just my kind of science. A mix of genetics, immunology and microbiology, I have found previous similar work to be fantastical and slightly ridiculous. This, however, works and it had been reading with joy. It does make it difficult to classify though; it reads like YA but the scientific content is not. In this regard, I think the clinical prose helps the story move along, without getting too bogged down with technicalities.

Zuzan is a fairly sympathetic character and you do feel like rooting for her during the book. However, in some parts, she does come across as a bit of a Mary Sue, especially in later sections. She is supposed to be argumentative and combative but also makes everyone agree to her plans through her charm. Likewise, the romance aspect of the story felt a bit forced, as if it had to happen and had to happen quickly (trying hard not to give any spoilers here!).

In general, I enjoyed this story. A quick read for me, I think of you enjoy the science of Sci-fi and the relationships of the Hunger games, this would be for you.

I need a sequel right now, immediately! In the words of Michael Scott: ASAP as possible, please. I thought this was incredible and I can't believe it's a debut. Great world building, complex characters, and the development of relationships felt organic. The characters--whether protagonist or antagonist--felt like real people with the capacity to change (and not just for better, but for worse as well, which created a nice tension). I could definitely see this story having prequels (I want to know about Medera Gelia and Camu growing up together) and sequels and spinoff series....am I getting ahead of myself? Maaaaybe. For the moment I'll be happy if we get a second book.

Thank you Kaley, Angry Robot Books, and NetGalley for the ARC.

So, I fell wholly in love with Burrowed, and basically could not put it down, didn't want it to end, and devoured it completely. That is all you need to know. But probably not all I should write, so here we go. Also, I will say, that it definitely works as a standalone, but could also very easily be a series. And I am one million percent here for more.

The Characters:

Okay, so I fell in love with Zuzan from the start. She is incredibly sympathetic, even as a child in the beginning, and I simply adored her throughout. She has to go through so much, and at times is handling a lot all on her own. When she finally meets her people, I was thrilled, and I loved watching her relationships grow and evolve over time. I enjoyed the secondary characters almost as much, even when I wasn't totally sure who Zuzan could/should trust.

The World

This is such a unique world, right? I mean just from the synopsis alone, you can tell it will capture your interest. Especially intriguing is that not only are Zuzan and many of her cohorts sicker than those aboveground, but her life expectancy is significantly shorter. And that comes majorly into play. The concept was beyond thought-provoking, and I was so curious as to how the world became this way. Questions were definitely answered, but I am keeping this purposefully short because trust me, you will want to uncover them all for yourself.

The Plot

The story kept me guessing the whole entire time. Legit, I was so invested in the story that I could not stop reading. Not only was I desperate to learn more about the world and the characters, but every bit of what was taking place in the story lent itself to compulsive readability. There was a great blend of character and relationship development, world development, and action. Add to it, there were so many twists that left my jaw dropped, I seriously could not help but devour this book.

The Emotions

Oh, did I feel things! Like I said, I was very invested in the characters, so obviously their losses and joys were emotive. But even finding out information about other things happening in the world elicited huge emotional responses. I had many moments of anxiety and tears, but also a lot of smiling, hopeful moments, too.

Bottom Line: Barely a week into 2023, and already we have a new favorite.

Thank you to Angry Robots publishing and NetGalley for this amazing opportunity to review a e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow! Burrowed by Mary Baader Kaley starts off immediately on a good foot by the building of a realistic and well crafted dystopian world following the split of a world after a plague is let loose. The world consists of two races; the Subterraneans and the Omniterraneans.

Tensions rise between both races as their weakness are exploited by each other: the Subterraneans with low physical health and the Omniterraneans with their subpar intelligence. Our main character, Zuzan, is a Subterranean wanting to make a difference in the world by caring for her fellow Subterraneans, but with her “light blindness” and low life expectancy her options are slim.

A chance encounter with one of the head researcher of the Subterranean genetic facilities has Zuzan caught up in a world of lie and betrayal after leaving the only life she ever knew. Between illegal experiments on newborns underground and riots terrorising above ground, Zuzan must use her talents to uncover the secret of tue mystery plague in order to bring peace and equality between the Subters and the Omnits.

Baader Kaley does an incredible job of portraying these very real characters with very real flaws. Zuzan is often caught between proving her worth or hiding in the shadows for she is often at risk searching for the cure that no one seems to want. Action packed and overall interesting, Burrowed makes for a very good debut by Mary Baader Kaley. Can’t wait for what comes next.!

Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars

4.5 stars
Sign me up for book two! Zuzan's story is one full of riotous emotion and deeply ingrained fear. I loved her growth and how she steadily comes to realize her faults. She's amazing and smart but not infallible, and it made the story better to see her struggle though I will say that I wanted so badly to reach through the pages and throttle a certain character who I refuse to name or spend more time thinking about. Zuzan came through a strong warrior who might lose her confidence at times, something that makes her relatable and genuine. Burrowed is the kind of book that takes you in from the first page. You have to know what's coming next and you won't be able to rest until you discover the truth.
I received a copy of this book from netgalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

A young adult sci fi that sent me back a few years. As in, it reads like 2010s teen fiction.
I really enjoyed the scientific part of it. Can't tell if the science checks out, but it was intriguing and I was interested to know what happens next. Unfortunately the fiction part did not work for me as well. I disliked all the characters and hated how they talked about the people living outside. Even the "good guys" were still ableist and it was difficult to read at times. I did not care for the romance, as most of the relationships seemed rather shallow. Zuzan acted like a teen and was treated like a teen/minor so I was uncomfortable with the entire situation (and I'm not usually the type to get worked up over an age difference). I also disliked the ending which was as much of a cliffhanger as one can get.
I'll still read part two if it comes out because I want to know about the genetics. If Zuzan isn't there and it's just about a different set of characters I'll be happy.

I enjoyed reading this book. I am rating this book 4.5 rounded up to 5.

This world is divided into two different groups of humans: the Subterraneans - super-intelligent but have compromised immune systems and the Omniterraneans - super-healthy but not as intelligent.

Zuzan, a Subterranean girl, has perfect memory and the ability to find patterns. Her intelligence gets her into trouble and she has a very black and white view of the world. I like the fact that just because she's intelligent doesn't mean that she is wise and she blunders her way through many situations. I loved her empathy and her drive to do what is right.

This is an awesome debut novel and I can't wait to read more.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. My opinions are my own.

I was really excited for the premise of this book. I love a dystopian sci-fi book! In this world a genetic plague separated human society into two different groups – sickly yet super-intelligent Subterraneans and healthy but weak-minded Omniterraneans. Now there is a new plague and Zuzan, a subterranean girl, must try to figure out a cure.

I was initially intrigued and enjoyed the beginning of this book. I found the world building interesting and original. I loved learning how a portion of the population had to move underground to keep them safer from illnesses and what all that entailed for each population. I also enjoyed our main character Zuzan. While she is shy and not the best at social situations she is smart, caring, and easy to root for. The side characters are also interesting and distinct.

My main issue with this book is the plotting. I was halfway through the book and the synopsis wasn't even fully realized. The middle of the book was very stagnant for me. It felt like nothing was happening. Finally when we did learn about the new plague we didn't even focus on it enough. The ending felt rushed and some things are left open. (Is this supposed to be the start of a series?) Instead, there was a romance, that in my opinion, did not need to happen.

I enjoyed this title. The conflict between the underground and above-ground groups was interesting and I liked how the MC fought the battles she faced, both internal and external. There was good tension (it seemed a bit much at times, but that's the point of fiction, right?) and enough science to make it Sci-Fi without making it too complicated.